Oh it's a fun job. Not difficult, just VERY oily. You'll most likely need to drop the exhaust pipe from the manifold. Once you remove the oil pan bolts, you'll need to remove the rear main bearing cap (closest to the flywheel). In my experience from doing many of these, it's best to loosen (don't remove) the rest of the bearing caps to release pressure on the seal. It is a two piece seal-one in the lower part of the bearing cap and one in the top. The one in the top will need to be driven out with a brass punch (DO NOT scratch the crankshaft journal surface or you'll have a whole new set of problems). Take your time; it will come out-sometimes they're stubborn.
Once you've installed the new seal(s)-and retightened all of the bearing cap bolts back to 80ft/lbs, I recommend going with the one-piece blue felpro pan gasket when putting the oil pan back on.. Use Aviation adhesive to hold it in place on the pan before installing, otherwise it will want to drop in the pan and cause many cuss words and wrench throwing.

There are several good write ups on here which I recommend you look at to make sure you apply RTV in the proper spots on the bearing cap and oil pan gasket. Good luck!

Btw- before you tackle this, be sure it's not leaking from the back of the valve cover!!!

before I did the rear main seal...I would confirm that is the leak....my valve cover seeps a little....looks like a rear main seal leak when the oil shows up below.

Get a can of engine foam degreaser from autozone...spray it all over the jeep tranny and engine and let it sit 15 minutes...then hose it all off. Make sure you get the engine block area above the bell housing.

when it is dry, check all the areas with a flashlight, then go for a drive and check all the areas with a flashlight again.....if you can't eyeball, feel with your fingers for wet oil.

This forum requires that you wait 60 seconds between searches. Please try again in 1 seconds.

a tip from a novice, set up the seals on the bench along with the main cap. set the main cap so the slot for the seal is away from you. the seal on the cap only goes in one way so the little ears line up in the cap. the top half of the seal has to go in the same way set it on top of the seal in the cap and you will see the ends do not match if you have it backwards. once you get the correct orientation of the top seal mark the top seal outside (the side that will be facing towards the front of the engine) with a black marker. now when you crawl under to slide in the top seal make sure the side you marked is visible and facing the front of the engine. trust me you think you know which way it goes then you crawl under and on your back, you need the marked side!!
now comes the pan install, the issue is getting the gasket at the rear of the pan on the half circle to go into the grove on the engine, good luck with that. there are many writeups and many horror story's take your time. on my 92 did not need to remove exhaust...............

As others have mentioned check up top first. I take a clean rag, run the engine for a bit, then wipe behind the valve cover. If I get oil, I have found a leak that needs to be fixed first before chasing after a rear main seal.

Hello guys, I wasted two days( too hot outside and too much dirty falling on me, so I took mytime) replacing the RMS and pan gasket. Damm thing leaks even worst after this. So it might not have been the RMS after all as you suggested. That leaves me two things to blame.
#1 Gasket from O-really!!! was correct and/or I did not install properly. But to my defense, it is now leaking from the same spot as before only worst. So, I must have got the installation right.
#2 Valve cover: I have no idea what/where this is. Can you guys tell me how to chase this down?

Also, note after replacing the RMseal etc, the first few drops of oil started coming down between from bell house cover and bell house!!!!?

Believe it or not, but if your engine isn't tuned properly and your PCV system working as designed, you will never stop the oil leaks, no matter how many gaskets you replace.

You MUST have good manifold vacuum at idle and eliminate all vacuum leaks (proper state of tune), and your PCV valve, hose, and grommets must all be in good shape. The baffles in the valve cover need to be clean, as well as the vacuum fitting at the base of the carb where the PCV line hooks up.

A RMS will never suddenly start leaking, it is a slow degradation starting with a weep, followed by oily residue, and going to an occasional drop of oil every now and then.

Believe it or not, but if your engine isn't tuned properly and your PCV system working as designed, you will never stop the oil leaks, no matter how many gaskets you replace.

You MUST have good manifold vacuum at idle and eliminate all vacuum leaks (proper state of tune), and your PCV valve, hose, and grommets must all be in good shape. The baffles in the valve cover need to be clean, as well as the vacuum fitting at the base of the carb where the PCV line hooks up.

A RMS will never suddenly start leaking, it is a slow degradation starting with a weep, followed by oily residue, and going to an occasional drop of oil every now and then.

Hi, the PCV valve is on top of the engine? that one has been leaking for years on me but very very slowing...1 drop a week or so. I cannot attribute where this continues oil drip(its not drip any more but a flow) is coming from. I will check this today.